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How to Subsocial

We're here to help.

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We created this page to easily answer the most common questions that we're asked about our sounds and releases.

 

You'll always find up to date guides, answers and tips right here.

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Let us know if there's something else we should have on this page that would help.

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The "Basics"

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All our audio files are 96 kHz / 24 bits.

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  • They are higher quality files than most other samples.

  • A sample rate of 96 kHz means better time stretching and pitch shifting.

  • Higher sample rates have many other benefits for professional workflows.

  • 96 kHz files can be easily converted to lower sample rates.

  • 24 bit is the standard bit depth quality of most production grade audio and recordings.

  • Higher bit depths allow for more flexibility during the production process.

  • Our flies will work fine in 16 bit or 32 bit projects in any software.

  • All of our audio files will work in any software or hardware as standard .WAV files.

  • Our audio files may exist as mono,  stereo, or a spatial format.

  • Most issues will audio files that "don't work" are due to differences in sample rate, bit depth or channel count.

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Our MIDI files are regular MIDI files.

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  • MIDI files are just patterns of notes and controller changes over time. Notes and controller changes are just numbers between 1-127.

  • Import, drag, or load them on any hardware, or in any software that is MIDI capable.

  • Most MIDI files are single parts, like chords or a melody.

  • Some MIDI files are complete songs with multiple parts that will import on multiple tracks.

  • Sometimes your software will ask you if you want to import the tempo and time signature that's in the MIDI clip. This is normal, but you should probably choose not to if you're bringing it into an existing project you're working on.

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Software Compatibility 

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  • If something is not working or loading, update your software. (Don't hate)

  • We usually develop in the latest versions of software. If in doubt, ask us and we can let you know if a release will work with your setup.

  • Each release page will specify the software it's specifically designed for.

  • You can always use any .WAV audio in our packs to make your own instruments with.

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Where to keep stuff.

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  • First, you should UNZIP your downloaded files and store them somewhere you'll remember.

  • We highly recommend keeping all of our releases in a folder that doesn't move named, "Subsocial Studios" - this makes your life a lot easier, you'll see.

  • Most issues when loading instruments, effects, or presets are due to missing or moved files.

  • For software DAW specific help, keeping scrolling down.

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Spatial Audio

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All of our current spatial audio releases offer binaural and 1st Order Ambisonics formats.

 

We choose to release in Ambisonics B-Ambix format because it sounds good and is easy to capture, use, and produce with. It can also be converted to other spatial formats easily, and is useful as immersive audio assets in VR productions and game design.

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The binaural files we provide are rendered from the same ambisonic recordings.

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  • Spatial audio is anything "beyond" stereo

  • Spatial audio sounds impressive on playback systems that support it.

  • The files are still .WAV files in most cases.

  • The simplest spatial audio format is "binaural." It is 2 channels, and can be played back on any device that can play stereo sound. The only real requirement is using headphones to listen to the extra depth that binaural brings. You can use any of our binaural files as regular stereo files, just keep this in mind.

  • Any multichannel .WAV file with 3 or more tracks is probably "spatial audio."

  • Your software will need to support multichannel audio .WAV files in order to use it. Most professional audio software can support spatial audio.

  • You will most likely need to learn more about spatial audio production before using spatial file formats if you don't know much about it.

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Downloads & Orders

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Sometimes downloads fail. All of our files and ZIP packages have been tested to work. If your downloaded file(s) don't UNZIP properly, or are missing files after you UNZIP them, please download the ZIP archive again as your download may have failed or become corrupted in some way.

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If you're a Windows user and are having trouble UNZIPPING things, please try and update your UNZIP app/utility if you're having issues with opening your downloaded ZIP files. Try using the latest version of 7-ZIP (it's free).

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After purchasing an individual release you have 30 days to download your file(s).

 

If you do not download your files within that time, or you need to download the file again after 30 days, please contact us with your original order number, and we will issue you fresh links to your download(s).

 

Members of our Now or Forever plan do not have download links that expire.

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When downloading through our Subsocial Now or Forever members area, you will be able to download whatever releases you want a reasonable number of times, after which you'll need to ask us to reset your download count. This is to prevent download abuse.

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It is currently not possible to download all of our releases in one download in our Subsocial Forever downloads area, as the file size would be too large for a browser download. We are currently looking into solutions to make our downloads easier to manage for our members.

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Ableton Live

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For best results, we recommend updating to the latest version of Ableton Live for device/preset/set compatibility.

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We realise that this may seem like a big ask for some who do not want to update.

 

When we make stuff for Ableton, we are usually making it in the latest version that brings significant new features. This way, we can create new things that take advantage of the latest features, and have our releases be more compatible for the future.

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Ableton Files & Folders

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If you're not sure on how to manage and use files easily with Ableton, here's a quick guide to get you up and running.

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  • Our Ableton focused releases are typically just like Ableton Project folders.

  • .ALS files are the Ableton Live set & project files.

  • .ALC files are Ableton MIDI or audio "Clips" that also have custom sounds and effects attached to them. They are sort of like track presets, so dragging them onto a new track is what they're made for!

  • .ADG files are Ableton "Device Group" files, which could be made with Ableton drum racks, synthesizers, samplers, or even just effects racks that can be loaded into another Ableton set.

 

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  • .ADV files are "Ableton Device" preset files, which could be Ableton instrument/sampler/synthesizer patches or effects presets. You can load them from anywhere by navigating to them in Ableton's Browser. Double clicking them will load them into a new instance of the associated Ableton Device.​ Keep any Ableton 12 or later .ADV files with the included "Ableton Folder Info" folders in order to take advantage of our tags and filters that we've made for them. 

 

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We highly suggest doing the following with our Ableton packs and sessions:

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  1. Create a folder named, "Subsocial Studios."

  2. Download and unzip each of our downloads into your "Subsocial Studios" folder. Future downloads can go in the same folder, and Ableton will automatically show new folders you add.

  3. Each release/download will be a folder inside your main "Subsocial Studios" folder.

  4. Open Ableton and add your new "Subsocial Studios" folder to "Places" in your Ableton browser.

  5. Drag and drop any of our sessions, .adg files, (racks, instruments, effects etc.) or our Ableton instrument preset files into any sessions you're working on, and they'll just work!

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Moving an .ADG file to another folder outside of the downloaded folder, and then loading it in a different Ableton session will result in Ableton saying that "Media files are missing." This is normal.

 

You either need to put .ADG file back in its original folder, or re-link the media files in Ableton.

Serum

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For best results, we recommend updating to the latest version of Serum for the best sound preset compatibility.

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Installing Serum Presets

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You will find .fxp Serum Preset files inside the included folder:

Serum Presets/Subsocial Studios/release name

 

These .fxp files are individual Serum presets. Each.fxp file contains everything that's needed for each preset to work.

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To install Serum presets:

Copy the "Subsocial Studios" folder inside the included, "Serum Presets" folder to your "Serum Presets Folder" on your computer.


You can easily get to the folder:

1) In Serum, click Menu (top right) then "Show Serum Presets folder".

This will open Finder on a Mac or File Explorer on Windows.

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2) Click and go inside the "Presets" folder you now see.

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3) Drag and drop our "Subsocial Studios" folder inside the "Presets" folder.
   
Note: If you already have a "Subsocial Studios" folder in the "Presets" folder, then simply drag the folder inside that's named after the preset pack to your existing one!

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A bank of Subsocial Studios presets will now show in your presets menu the next time you load Serum.

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Serum Preset files locations:

MAC
Macintosh HD/Library/Au
dio/Presets/Xfer Records/Serum Presets/Presets/Subsocial Studios

WINDOWS
C:\Users\ YOURUSERNAME \Documents\Xfer\Serum Presets\Presets\Subsocial Studios

 

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Vital

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For best results, we recommend updating to the latest version of Vital for the best sound preset compatibility.

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Installing Vital Files

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You will find .vitalbank type files in these releases. These files are complete banks (collections of sound presets). They contain everything that's needed for our presets to work.

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To use this .vitalbank file, simply open up Vital and then click the Vital menu icon and choose "Import Bank" - now navigate to the .vitalbank file you downloaded and click Open. 

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A bank of presets will install automatically to your default Vital Presets folder and you will see them as a new folder bank in your presets browser, ready to play.

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Troubleshooting:

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On some Windows systems you may encounter an issue when using the above method to install your .vitalbank presets. If you're not seeing our presets in the folder after importing a bank, please try the following workaround:

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1) Rename your .vitalbank. file to a .zip file by changing the file extension to: .zip

2) Now extract your new .zip file.

3) Copy the extracted folder to the default Vital folder:

 

 "User/Documents/Vital" folder.

You can place it anywhere in your Vital folder and it should show up the next time your load Vital. 

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Tips:

If you ever move (or delete) your Vital folder, then the next time you start Vital, it will ask you where to install presets. You can then select a your new location.

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You can organize your Vital folder's presets however you like, but soundbanks or packs of presets should be stored like this with a subfolder named, "Presets":

 

"Pack or Bank Name/Presets/preset.vital"

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